Laurie’s Doors
Volume II Books first opened in the early 1970's in the main floor of Crescent Place
on 142 Street & Stony Plain Road. Its first owner was Diane Woodman who initiated
the idea to have all authors who visit the store sign a door. The idea was a hit, and
lived on with V II’s next owner Barbara Johnston. When Barbara Mousseau bought
the store and moved it to The High Street she brought all the doors with her.
When I bought Volume II in 2000, I "inherited" the first four doors and happily continued the tradition until the story finally closed last April. These doors have
come to represent the literary history of authors who have shared their books with readers in Edmonton over the last 35 years.
laurie’s book company
the story of the doors
This first door (left) goes back to the mid-70s, and includes greetings from the Honourable Grant MacEwan, the irascible Mordecai Richler, and other authors such as Ben Wicks, Charles Templeton, WP Kinsella, Peter Gzowski and Rudy Wiebe.
Margaret Atwood’s first visit to Volume II is commemorated on the door (below), along with author Sondra Gotlieb and BC artist Toni Onley.
To the right is the first of several door signings by the late Timothy Findley, or Tiff, as he was fondly remembered. On another door he wrote “To Laurie, with thanks and love, Tiff.”
Below, two visits from Richard Ford (2001 & 2007) and “love and best wishes” from local author and huge Ford fan Curtis Gillespie, thrilled to sign beside Ford.
See next page for more pictures of the doors
